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The future of Starfleet!

The Best and the Brightest is a Pocket TNG novel – also considered to be part of the TNG Starfleet Academy series – written by Susan Wright. Published by Pocket Books, it was first released in February 1998.

Summary[]

From the book jacket
Every year, Starfleet Academy in San Francisco attracts many of the most talented and ambitious young people in the Federation. They come from all over the Alpha Quadrant, from hundreds of worlds and species, to prepare themselves for the challenges of the final frontier.
Meet a new generation of cadets: a newly joined Trill just beginning the first of many lives; a Bajoran Vedek who finds himself torn between his vows and an unspoken love; a reckless young man fond of pushing the limits; a feline alien raised among humans; a brilliant but immature young woman with a lot to learn; and a native-born Earth woman with a talent for engineering.
Together they will learn about courage, life, teamwork, and themselves. Their future is just beginning – but one of them will not survive!

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.

Background information[]

  • When Pocket editor John Ordover approached author Susan Wright to develop this novel and a new cast of characters, she was keen to include gay characters and relationships between characters of the same gender, because she "felt that the promise of a future without discrimination and bigotry had not been fulfilled". Although the Paramount licensing division approved the story, Wright noted that "they insisted that the word "gay" should not be included. They said that in the Trek universe sexual orientation was not even noticed". (Voyages of Imagination, p. 414)
  • Wright had wanted the characters to reappear in a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel, given that several of the characters were posted to Deep Space 9 after graduation. (Voyages of Imagination, p. 414)
  • Original pre-release cover slicks promoting this unnumbered novel were headed Starfleet Academy rather than Star Trek: The Next Generation. This version of the cover appeared in Star Trek Monthly issue 36.
  • An extract from this novel appeared in Star Trek Monthly issue 38. The extract also featured short character summaries for each of the main characters.

Cover gallery[]

Characters[]

Main characters[]

  • Starsa Taran (β)
  • Bobbie Ray Jefferson
  • Nev Reoh (β)
  • Jayme Miranda (β)
  • Moll Enor (β)
  • Hammon Titus (β)

Enterprise-D crew[]

Other cadets[]

  • Elma
  • T'ress
  • Buck Wu
  • Ijen
  • Johnny Madden (β)
  • Eto Mahs
  • Yllian Mantegna
  • Puller
  • Qita
  • Reeves (β)
  • Sendonii
  • Ho Campbell
  • Vestabo

Starfleet[]

Other characters[]

Referenced[]

References[]

Klingon
Bajoran
Cardassian
Horta
Romulan
Trill
Vulcan
Orion
Antaranan
Kostolain
Rex

External link[]


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